A scene from the movie “The Lives of Others” (2006)
80% of Public Administration workers consider them a brake on their commitment
Between politics and economics, the theme of justice has been debated for a long time. With the establishment of the Meloni government and the choice of Nordic as Keeper of the Seals, the controversy literally exploded on two fundamental topics: the reform of the legislation concerning interceptions and the possible abolition of the crime of abuse of office.
The combined effect of these two types of legislation is reflected directly on the productivity of the countryas Sandro Susini, founder of Susini Group StP, a Florence-based firm that is a leader in labor consultancy, explains: “The fear of invasive forms of control from which interceptions can be extrapolated that can be manipulated by anyone, as well as resorting to the crime of abuse of office , it costs Italy almost a point of GDP”.
Beyond the political dispute, the country’s productivity is at stake
In recent days, controversy has flared up regarding the limitations on wiretapping requested by the center-right in order to reduce excessively high costs and media pillory. The new measure would be read in totally opposing ways by the Government and by the opposition. Susini Group, regardless of the positions expressed by political parties, wanted to study the impact of these forms of control on the productivity of PA employees.
There are around 3.2 million workers employed in the public sector in Italy. By interviewing a sample of Public Administration workers, it emerged that approx 80% of them consider wiretapping and the crime of abuse of office a brake on the performance of their duties and, therefore, to the country’s economic growth.
Many claimed to have refused to perform office manager, or even managerial, duties for fear of signing documents and guaranteeing impunity. On the other hand, they say, making mistakes is human but being punished criminally is one thing and another with a warning letter. Even giving advice to users has become difficult since if misunderstandings are liable to criminal offences. «The fear of such invasive forms of control from which interceptions that can be manipulated by anyone can be extrapolated, as well as recourse to the crime of abuse of office, it costs Italy almost one point of GDP. More discreet solutions will have to be identified to control the work of workers in the PA if we do not want to continue to have disservices which inevitably lead to lower productivity of the public apparatus with consequent aggravation of the patrimonial damages», concludes Sandro Susini.
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